Thermoplastic films employed for packaging, if not barrier coated, tend to transmit oxygen or unpleasant odors which leads to product deterioration which in either case affects the palatability of the product. An effective barrier coating is not usually effective as a heat-seal coating. Some have no heat-seal characteristics and others are so aggressive that on attempting to unseal such a package, the package is largely destroyed. With films that are unoriented or oriented to unbalanced extent, during separation of a sealed region, the films will tend to tear in the direction of least orientation. An ideal barrier layer coated film, therefore, is one which effectively minimizes the transmission of oxygen, moisture, odors, etc., while at the same time permitting an effective heat seal between films and permitting the seal to be easily peeled apart without destroying the body of the package.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a barrier layer coated, heat-sealable film, which film when heat-sealed is readily peeled apart at the heat seal.